Gate repairs could take months

Staff at the castle said the accident caused "lots of red faces"

Ornate iron gates at Nottingham Castle which were wrecked by an army lorry could take months to repair.

The gates were damaged when a Territorial Army truck, used as part of a display earlier this month, misjudged a turn and hit a stone pillar.

Insurers are now working out who will foot the bill for the repairs.

But officials said that while they were keen to replace a modern temporary gate, it could take some time to get the necessary money and paperwork.

It is not the first time the gates have been damaged but because the castle and its grounds are listed, the entrance cannot be widened.

Site supervisor, Ynys Crowston Boalerand, said putting everything right could be a slow process.

"Obviously we will re-erect them," he said.

"But we have to go through the Ministry of Defence's insurers which can be quite a lengthy process.

"And we have to work with our insurer, we have to get specialist stonemasons and wrought iron workers and we have to get English Heritage to OK it - and then hopefully we will put it back up."